Backstory: I REALLY want to adopt a dog. I can't afford a dog-walker or doggie daycare, and neither my partner nor I can take the dog to work or go home at lunch and walk it. Therefore, until something in that scenario changes, I can't adopt a dog because it's just cruel to leave it in that situation (even though our place is large on the scale of SF apartments and has a small patio so doggo can get fresh air, but no chance to pee or REALLY get exercise during the day).

However, the rescue I volunteer with has this RIDICULOUS puppy who is wee (doxie mix, he's currently about 8lbs and might get to 12lbs at most?) and VERY low energy, because he has a heart murmur. It's a condition that means he actually prefers to not do a lot of walks, is low-key, and just wants to snuggle. He absolutely STOLE MY HEART when I was helping out this past weekend. One of the saddest things? Because of his heart murmur, his life expectancy is pretty short. So, basically, I REALLY want to adopt him and give him a loving home for the time he has (he's unlikely to be adopted because of that, and I don't want him to live forever in a shelter).

A friend pointed out that small dogs can be litter trained, so I could potentially train him to use litter during the day, so that on the days that I can't smuggle him to work (you bet I will stick him in my purse) or work from home, he'd be okay with a place to pee during the day, and since he's small and low energy, my apartment would be PLENTY big enough for him.

So: is litter training with puppers truly possible? Can I potentially adopt this absolute sweetheart and change my life for the better and give him the love and cuddles he deserves for his potentially short life?

_________________Your heart is a muscle the size of a fistKeep loving, keep fighting

Awe, he sounds like an absolute sweetheart! I'm so sorry that his life won't be as long as he deserves, but it's brilliant that you can offer him his happy forever home <3

My mum litter trained her parson's russell, she just got a litter tray and filled it with sand, J was a smart dog and just used it naturally. I tried to do it with Pop when she was young, but she just had too much craic digging the sand out all over the house (she still tries to dig to the centre of the earth when she hits the beach).

If the litter thing fails, you could probably train him to use puppy pads. I don't know about the US, but we can get them really cheaply here in £ stores.

^ Was going to say, I used puppy pads for Bebe. She usually sleeps when I'm at work and doesn't need them but they're there just in case.

Potty pads are a lifesaver! My dogs are the same- they're usually pretty good for long stretches home alone but if they have an emergency, the potty pad is always there.

Was the potty pad training difficult? Some sites suggest doing potty pads in a box as an intro to litter training.

I'm also going to ask at the shelter what they've been doing for the dogs--do they have specific potty pad areas or newspapers or something? Because if he's already trained to pads, that would be glorious (and make convincing the bf a lot easier!).

_________________Your heart is a muscle the size of a fistKeep loving, keep fighting

Since you are looking at an older dog, this may not be an issue but I'd also do some outdoor training as well. The reason being is my beagle only went to the bathroom in our backyard which is basically rocks. I didn't think this was an issue until we decided to go camping with him and there was no area similar to our backyard and he wasn't used to going to the bathroom on a leash. He was also around 3 when we adopted him so who knows what happened before us.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

Since you are looking at an older dog, this may not be an issue but I'd also do some outdoor training as well. The reason being is my beagle only went to the bathroom in our backyard which is basically rocks. I didn't think this was an issue until we decided to go camping with him and there was no area similar to our backyard and he wasn't used to going to the bathroom on a leash. He was also around 3 when we adopted him so who knows what happened before us.

You've just reminded me of Pop when she was a pup. I was exposing her to fun car journeys to help avoid the vet journey stress. I took her out for the day and realised she needed to poop, every where I stopped she refused to go, even when she got really desperate. It ended up in a hurried journey home with all the car windows down, as this tiny pup gassed the car farting over poop!

Ahahahaha oh my god, okay, that is SUPER good to know! He is definitely chill with car rides (he fell asleep on my lap when I was driving him to an adoption event, his li'l face resting in the crook of my elbow and and and... that was when I knew I was a lost cause, haha), but I love the idea of getting a pup used to riding in the car to avoid vet stress!

I will DEFINITELY train him on outside too, if I manage to convince the partner that I should get him, because I still want to take him out places and take him for short walks and to chill in parks and such so that he can have a fun life despite his heart. Didn't occur to me that he wouldn't automatically go outside, though! Thank you!!

_________________Your heart is a muscle the size of a fistKeep loving, keep fighting

Oh man, you could get him a dog pram! He could go loads of places with you, some stores even let them in if they're in prams!

I can't recommend the fun trips in the car enough. Pop loves getting into the car, she knows the road to the vet's and to her Granny's house, and even to the Mr's parents house, she has a different excited whimper for each one (she loves everyone at our vets). Min was a puppy farm rescue and barfed the first few times she was in the car, she now goes in to it happily and just falls asleep in her booster box until we land somewhere interesting.

If I manage to get this pup, I am TOTALLY going to become one of those ladies walking around with a pup in a purse. Or maybe one of those baby-wearing slings, so he can snuggle and look around... I will take him literally everywhere that I possibly can!

_________________Your heart is a muscle the size of a fistKeep loving, keep fighting